


a tangled web

by fangirl_squee



Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: (who on my first listen through i thought really DID give them only one bed), F/M, Fake Marriage, M/M, Multi, Sharing a Bed, Trans Character, Trans Fero, minor appearance by Adelaide, set during early AiH
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-04-30 03:03:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14487429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl_squee/pseuds/fangirl_squee
Summary: A lie to help Lem gets out of Hella's control.





	a tangled web

**Author's Note:**

  * For [madelinestarr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/madelinestarr/gifts).



> happy birthday maddie

  


Adelaide’s heels clicked along the stone floor, leading Hella, Lem, and Fero forward as the guards prodded at them from behind. Hella glared at the back of Adelaide’s neat braids, putting a hand on Fero’s shoulders to move him in front of her, away from the guard’s immediate reach (not that there was much chance of her fighting her way out, at least, not at the moment).

 

Hella almost walked into the back of Fero as he slowed his steps, and Hella frowned at Lem’s back for a moment before she leaned around his broad shoulders to see the cause. Adelaide had stopped by a door, speaking softly to the two guards who were waiting either side of the doorway before she stepped back. One of the guards behind Hella pushed at her back, forcing her (and Lem and Fero in turn) towards the room.

 

It didn’t look at terrible as Adelaide’s smirk had led Hella to believe. The furnishings were simple and the room was relatively unadorned, but it was nicer than most of the inns Hella had stayed at in her life.

 

Although. Those inns let her come and go as she pleased, which would probably not be the case here.

 

She turned back to face Adelaide after Fero and Lem had been forced into the room after her, he hand reaching for the sword she normally carried and settling clumsily on her empty hip. Adelaide’s lips twitched, amused.

 

“I will be speaking with you later,” said Adelaide, “Someone will be by shortly with an evening meal. I’m sure you must be hungry after all the excitement of the day. Please let my attendants know if there is anything we can do to make your stay with us a comfortable one.”

 

Fero raised his hand. “I can think of something: you could let us go.”

 

Adelaide laughed, stepping back to allow the guards to shut the door behind her. The lock thunked shut.

 

“Hey!” said Fero, “Why bother asking if there was anything we wanted if you’re not even going to _consider_ it!”

 

Lem put a hand on Fero’s shoulder. “I suppose it was worth a try, at least.”

 

Fero let out a long breath. “Yeah. It’s still rude though. Who’d have thought a queen would be _rude_.”

 

Lem shushed him, shooting a nervous look at the door.

 

Hella let her gaze roam around the room, looking for weaknesses in the stonework. It was old but solid, right down to the chipped carvings on the ceiling. She could have tried pulling the unlit chandelier down from the roof, but that would only have served to make a sound loud enough to pull the guards in, not _actually_ get them out.

 

There were two other doorways on the opposite wall. Hella peered through the first one, hoping to find something of more use. One door led to a simple bathing room, only an ornate jug and bowl on an equally ornate table and a sizable-looking tub. Hella let out an annoyed breath, opening the second door. She must have made a sound of surprise, because Lem and Fero were by her side in a moment, Lem peering over her shoulder and Fero leaning around her side.

 

It was a bedroom. And there was only one bed, as solid and ornate as anything else in their rooms had been.

 

“Oh! Well,” said Lem, his eyes very wide as he looked at the bed, “Well! We’ll just-- um. Share. Just like camping outside, really. If you’re sharing a tent.”

 

Fero went over to bang on the door they’d entered from. “Hey! _Hey_! I have a request! You know, like your queen said we could have!”

 

There was a pause. “We’re not letting you out.”

 

“Not that,” said Fero, “well, not just that. We need another bed.”

 

“There’s three of us,” said Lem.

 

“Right,” said Fero, “we need another _two_ beds.”

 

There was another pause, longer this time. “What for?”

 

Fero made a face at the closed door. “What do you _mean_ what for?”

 

Another pause, and a different voice answered this time. “Well you’re married, right? So why d’you need separate beds?”

 

Lem made a strange sound. Hella put her hand on his arm to quiet him, stepping closer to the door.

 

“Who said we were married?” said Hella.

 

“We heard,” said one voice through the door.

 

“Calhoun said it,” said the other voice.

 

“Well, uh, that’s-- we--” said Lem, his cheeks flushed a deep green.

 

“Lem snores!” said Fero, the words bursting out of him, “Hella and I need separate beds because he snores! And Hella--”

 

“Fero kicks in his sleep,” said Hella, not wanting to hear whatever thing Fero was likely to make up on her behalf.

 

“I do not!” said Fero.

 

“I don’t _snore_ ,” said Lem.

 

“You do so,” said Fero.

 

“I do _not_ ,” said Lem, “since _when_?”

 

“Since _always_ ,” said Fero.

 

“You’ll just have to deal with the snoring and the kicking,” said the voice from the other side of the door, cutting off their argument, “I’m not hauling _two beds_ all the way up here unless it’s an order from Queen Adelaide.”

 

“Well we’re seeing her tomorrow,” said Fero, “we’re gonna ask her and then you’re going to be sorry that you made such a fuss about doing this for us.”

 

“Sure.”

 

Hella huffed a laugh, rubbing her hand over her face.

 

“This,” said Hella, “is all your fault.”

 

“ _My_ fault?” said Fero, “ _You’re_ the one who told those Velas guards we were on our honeymoon!”

 

“But _you’re_ the one who told Calhoun the ring from Gregalos was your _wedding ring_ ,” said Hella.

 

“Hella’s right,” said Lem, “You shouldn’t have--”

 

“Don’t you start,” said Fero, cutting him off, “The whole reason we needed a boat so fast to begin with was to keep you out of trouble.”

 

“Well you haven’t done a very good job at it,” said Lem, crossing his arms.

 

“I think we did a _very_ good job at it,” said Fero, waving his arms for emphasis, “no dangerous Archive dudes here, right?”

 

Lem opened his mouth and then closed it again, pressing his lips together.

 

“ _Exactly_ ,” said Fero, grinning.

 

“I’m still not really in a safe position though, am I?” said Lem, “None of us are.”

 

Fero’s face fell, and he bit his lip. “Yeah, maybe. But we’ll get out of this.” He looked up at Hella. “Right?”

 

Hella looked at them, their faces so different but with mirroring expressions of absolute trust. Something pulled at her gut, the same feeling she got before a battle, bracing herself for what it would take to get herself through the other side.

 

“Right,” said Hella. They kept looking at her, expectant, and Hella searched for something else to say. “Not much we can do until tomorrow.”

 

Lem nodded, his gaze drifting away towards the carvings that ran across the wooden table. Fero followed after him. He didn’t seem as interested in the carvings, more like his body was pulled towards Lem’s by an unseen force, keeping them close.

 

Hella looked away from them, moving to look out of the window. The cold of the stone seeped through the fabric of her sleeves as she leant against the windowsill. The city was laid out below her, more densely packed than Velas and strangely full of life for a city of the undead.

 

She peered down, considering the long drop to the bottom. Fero could have transformed into a bird of some kind and made it out, but she doubted he’d leave Lem. She tilted her head slightly so that she could watch them out of the corner of her eye. Lem spoke softly as he traced a finger along the carving, and Fero nodded absently. Fero’s hand was curled around the hem of Lem’s jacket, anchoring himself to Lem even as his attention wandered elsewhere.

 

Hella pressed her lips together. If it was just the two of them, they probably would have been fine sharing a bed. It was just like sharing a tent, Lem had said. She imagined they’d had to do that a lot, keeping eachother warm on their long, cold journey to Velas.

 

She mentally shook herself. It would be fine. She was heavy sleeper. She’d shared tents before. There was nothing to it.

 

The knock at the door made her reach again for her sword, frowning as her hand grasped empty air. She moved towards Lem and Fero, making sure she was between them and the door before it opened.

 

Two guards holding trays of food stepped through the door. Hella eyed them warily as they put them down on the table. One of the guards nodded to her as they left.

 

Fero clambered up on a chair, reaching for the tray covering before she could stop him.

 

He made a face. “It’s just soup.”

 

“What did you expect?” said Hella.

 

“We’re royal guests, sort of,” said Fero, “I kind of thought it would be fancier.”

 

Hella huffed a laugh. “I think they probably save the fancy food for people who are allowed to leave.”

 

Hella ate mostly in silence, listening with half an ear to Lem and Fero as they chattered to each other, interjecting only when an argument seemed to go on for too long, putting a hand on Fero’s shoulder to push him back down into his seat or silencing Lem with a look.

 

Command was never a position she’d ever felt particularly comfortable in, but it was an easy enough role to fill until she could get them out and they seemed good enough at following her orders. They weren’t like the soldiers she’d sometimes commanded, too rash in battle and too gentle out of it.

 

Although. Perhaps if either of them were a little _more_ like soldiers they wouldn’t be in this mess to begin with, even if _maybe_ there was some kind of case to be made with her letting the Velasian guards believe that she and Fero were on a honeymoon. Hella let out a long, controlled breath, unnoticed by Lem and Fero. It was supposed to have just been an easy fix for a bad situation, a conversation to distract the guards long enough to give Lem a chance to sneak upstairs. It certainly wasn’t ever supposed to _continue_ , let alone this long, with a queen buying into it.

 

Hella dropped her spoon into her empty bowl and Fero and Lem’s conversation stuttered to a halt at the sound.

 

“Hella?” said Lem, voice hesitant.

 

“I’m fine,” said Hella.

 

“Sure,” said Fero, “we’re all fine, and this situation is totally normal.”

 

Lem sighed. “Fero…”

 

“What?” snapped Fero.

 

“Fero,” said Lem again.

 

He blinked down at Fero, and some of the tension went out of Fero’s shoulders.

 

“Yeah I know,” said Fero, “I just... I don’t like having to stay in cities.”

 

“I know,” said Lem, “but we’re going to get out of here, right Hella?”

 

Hella nodded, watching them curiously.

 

“I’ll be _fine_ ,” said Fero.

 

Lem’s fingers on the hand closest to Fero twitched, tilting a little towards Fero before it settled back down. “I know.”

 

Hella’s chest felt tight. Normally she would have taken her sword and found the closest person willing to go a few rounds with her, but without her sword she’d have to make do. She stood, her chair scraping against the stone floor.

 

“I’m going to do stretches before bed.”

 

She turned away from them before they could reply, closing the door to the bedroom behind her. She quickly looked away from the bed and it’s tangle of implications, facing the wall to strip off her armour and heavy padding, stretching her arms high above her head. There was some comfort to be found in running through the slow routine of stretches, helping to clear her mind as her focus narrowed to the slow stretch of her limbs, the pressure and release of her muscles.

 

It wasn’t until she began the final motions that she began to think back on their current situation. The flush of Fero’s cheeks as she lied to the Velasian guards, pulling him close to her side to make her words seem more truthful, the warmth of his body making her own cheeks heat. The relief on Lem’s face as they had entered the room upstairs, their frantic scramble for a plan to get out of the city without being caught.

 

And then. Calhoun and the Kingdom Come.

 

That was really the start of this mess, Hella thought. Letting Velasian guards believe something about her romantic life was one thing, but it was Calhoun’s misunderstanding of their situation that had _really_ led them here.

 

They’d been running around the ship, doing their best to help the more sober members of Calhoun’s crew get it out of port. Fero kept hovering around her, Lem at his heels, stumbling over his words in a way she didn’t have time to focus on.

 

“ _Fero_ ,” she’d snapped, “I told you I need you to get up in the rigging!”

 

“Yeah,” said Fero, “but I just wanted to ask about before.”

 

Hella’s grip tightened on the wheel. “What about it?”

 

“Well, I mean, why’d you say that to those guys?”

 

“ _What_ guys?”

 

“The guards,” said Fero, fiddling with the ragged hem of his shirt, “I mean, you told them we were on our honeymoon, and--”

 

“You’re on your honeymoon!” boomed Calhoun’s voice, “Why didn’t you _say_ so?”

 

“What, no, we’re, uh--” Fero looked up at Lem, “we’re um--”

 

Calhoun’s smile only widened. “Ah, I thought as much with you two on our first journey but Hella--” he wagged a finger at her, “--I had no idea you were involved! Congratulations!”

 

Hella’s face felt hot despite the chill ocean wind. “We’re not--”

 

Calhoun put a finger to his lips, cutting her off with a shushing sound. “Right right right right right right… a _secret_ elopement, I get it.” He threw an arm around Lem’s shoulder. Lem made a squeaking sound. “Don’t you worry about a thing, I won’t tell _anyone_.”

 

In Hella’s estimation, it took about forty minutes for it to spread to through the rest of the ship, which was almost impressive given how drunk Calhoun was. She didn’t have much time to focus on it, dodging people’s questions and congratulations as she tried to keep the ship afloat and on course.

 

She only really caught glimpses of Lem and Fero after that. Lem flushed a deep green and dropped his gaze to the floor, while when Fero caught sight of her he seemed to immediately remember something he needed to do on the other side of the ship. She tried not to take it too personally.

 

There were a few nights when she’d managed to wrangle another crewmember to take over for her for a few hours, stumbling down to her quarters to sleep only to find Lem or Fero or, on one occasion, both of them, already curled up in her bed. She didn’t wake them up to ask what they thought they were doing, only shoving them over a little to let her in before she could flop down, exhausted.

 

The memory of waking up with both of them, Lem’s face pressed into the crook of her neck and Fero sprawled against her side, made something clench in the pit of her stomach.

 

Hella let out a long breath, leaning her forehead against the cold stone of the wall for a moment, the warmth of the memory in her cheeks.

 

She squared her shoulders, let out a deep breath, and opened the door.

 

Lem was still seated at the table, turning his violin over in his hands. Fero had dragged a chair over the window, watching as the last few rays of sunlight dipped below the horizon. They both looked over at her as she entered.

 

“What happened to your armour?” said Fero.

 

Hella shrugged. “I took it off.”

 

Fero shifted in the chair. “Yeah but why? Aren’t we in kind of a dangerous situation right now?”

 

“They’re not going to attack us while we sleep,” said Hella, “And even if they did, I can defend us well enough without it.”

 

Fero blinked. “Oh. Yeah. Me too. You know. As a cougar or whatever.”

 

“Because that worked out so well last time,” said Lem.

 

“Hey!” said Fero.

 

“We should probably get some sleep,” said Hella, cutting off their argument, “tomorrow will be a long day and I need you both to be sharp.”

 

“Right,” said Lem, “right.” He stood up, then hesitated. “So I’ll just… We’re all just going to go to bed.”

 

Hella forced herself to keep eye contact with him. “That’s what I said.”

 

She stepped back from the doorway a little, so that he could step into the bedroom. She raised her eyebrows at Fero, who was still sitting by the window.

 

“I’m cool to sleep out here,” said Fero, “I can just be a cat or whatever and sleep on a chair.”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Lem, voice slightly muffled from where he was bending to pull off his shoes, “you’re so small we probably won’t even notice.”

 

Fero’s cheeks flushed and he hopped up from the chair. “Small?!”

 

“Well you are,” said Lem.

 

Fero stepped past her to poke Lem in the shoulder, all traces of hesitance forgotten. Hella ducked her head to hide a smile.

 

“ _Only_ because you two are stupidly tall,” said Fero, “you’d better not hog the covers.”

 

Fero bumped against Lem’s shoulder as he pulled himself up onto the bed, wriggling under the covers.

 

“You’re going to sleep in your jacket?” said Lem.

 

The lump under the covers that was Fero wriggled some more and Fero’s jacket emerged, hitting Lem’s back as Fero threw it.

 

“Hey!” said Lem.

 

Hella pressed her lips together to stifle a laugh, moving to sit next to Lem to pull off her own boots. The sinking of the mattress slid her closer to Lem than she’d meant to be, their shoulders brushing. She focused on the laces of her boots, trying her best to ignore the heat radiating from Lem’s body.

 

Lem cleared his throat. “So. I’ll um. Take the right side?”

 

Hella shrugged, keeping her gaze down even as she felt Lem stand and walk to the opposite side of the bed, his footfalls quiet on the stone floor. She heard him slide into bed beside Fero.

 

She swallowed, blowing out the lantern before she laid down, pulling the covers over her shoulders, careful to keep her body to her own side of the bed even though not touching at least some part of Fero proved impossible in the small space. She felt Fero freeze under the covers.

 

Hella stared up at the ceiling, focusing on keeping her breathing even, matching her breaths to theirs, as she slowly drifted into sleep.

 

\--

 

When she opened her eyes, she was in an entirely different position altogether. She was much warmer, for one thing, and it was soon apparent why: at some point in the night Fero had migrated to the other side of her body, lying mostly on top of her, his hair almost tickling her nose. Lem was pressed against her other side, his face against her shoulder and his arm a heavy weight over her and Fero. Hella bit her lip - she could feel his hardness against her thigh. It felt proportional to the rest of him.

 

They were both, as far as she could tell, still fast asleep.

 

She blinked up at the ceiling, trying to think of ways to extract herself without waking them up. It didn’t do her much good - she’d never been much good at sneaking, and anyway, when she had a bedmate she didn’t normally sneak out in the early hours, preferring instead to wake them up to wring whatever pleasure they could get from each other before they had to part.

 

Lem shifted against her, drawing her focus back to the present even as the feeling of him against her didn’t exactly get her mind off that particular topic. Hella tried very hard not to move, tamping down on her noise of surprise as she realised how her own hand was caught inside Fero’s shirt, her palm resting against the warm skin of his back.

 

Slowly, she tried to slide Fero off of her chest. He frowned, his hands reaching out to clutch at the fabric of her top, making the fabric of her shirt rub against her nipple. Hella inhaled sharply, jostling Fero.

 

He raised his head slightly, blinking at her slowly. “Mmm?”

 

She hoped the early morning light hid how flushed her face felt. “Uh. Good morning.”

 

Fero’s head dropped, leaning against her chest and looking up at her from the low angle. “I guess. It’s still pretty dark..” He put a hand on her chest. “Hey. You can be honest. Did Lem’s snoring wake you up?”

 

He grinned and Hella huffed a laugh.

 

“Mmm? What?” mumbled Lem.

 

“I said your snoring woke us up,” said Fero.

 

Lem shifted, pulling himself up onto one elbow. Hella’s toes curled at the sensation of Lem sliding against her.

 

“I don’t snore,” said Lem.

 

Fero laughed, the sound of it scratchy from sleep in a way that felt cosy.

 

“I don’t!” said Lem, shifting further to sit up, “I--”

 

He broke off. Even in the dim light Hella could see his cheeks flush. He looked down, then at Hella, then very quickly away.

 

“Um,” said Hella.

 

“Oh my god,” said Lem, covering his face, “oh my god _please_ don’t say anything.”

 

“Don’t say anything about what?” said Fero, propping himself up on Hella’s chest. His eyes widened. “Oh. Well that’s--” He swallowed. “I mean it’s whatever. It’s not like it’s anything I haven’t seen.”

 

Lem dropped his hands. “ _What_?”

 

“Uh. I mean. You know. Generally,” said Fero, “Not specifically.” He looked at Hella. “Not like, you know--”

 

“--we never--”

 

“--just _generally_ , just, you know, in _general_ \--”

 

“It’s fine,” said Hella, “Listen, could you move?”

 

“Right! Yes!” said Lem, hands fluttering as he tried to push himself away from her on the bed.

 

“Not you,” said Hella, “Fero. You’re kind of crushing me right now.”

 

“What?” Fero looked down, where his hands were leaning on her chest. He bit his lip. “Uh. Sure. Sorry.”

 

He slid off her side, still pressed close against her to stay under the covers. Hella pushed herself up slightly, sitting up. They sat in silence for a moment, Fero rolling the fabric of the blanket between his fingers and Lem’s gaze fixed firmly to the wall opposite.

 

“Listen, we’re going to be here for a few days at least,” said Hella, “We’re just going to have to get used to it.”

 

“But I thought we were going to ask Adelaide for more beds?” said Fero.

 

“If Adelaide’s going to do us a favour, I’m going to use it to get us out of here,” said Hella, “not for furniture requests.”

 

“Oh. Right,” said Fero.

 

Hella looked between both of them, the small glances they flicked towards her while avoiding each other’s eyes, as if waiting for her next instruction.

 

She sighed, sliding to lie back down. “It’s still a few hours until the sun’s up. We may as well try to get a few more moments of sleep.”

 

Fero rolled towards her as she moved, his body fitting along her side as she settled. “This okay?”

 

Hella nodded, not entirely trusting her voice. She looked at Lem, careful to keep her eyes on his face. Lem swallowed, his gaze skittering between her and Fero.

 

Fero reached across her, clumsily patting the back of Lem’s hand. “Come on.”

 

“I um. I think I’m far too awake now…”

 

Fero made a face, reaching across her with his other hand to tug at Lem’s wrist. “You are not.”

 

“I really think I am,” said Lem, trying to lean back.

 

“You can still lie down with us,” said Fero.

 

“I’d really rather--”

 

Fero gave a sharp tug and Lem’s body jolted with the unexpected force, pulling him forward on top of Hella. Lem’s free hand landed next to her head, bracing himself against the pillow, their face inches apart. This close, she could see the flutter of his eyelashes, the deepening green flush as it spread over his cheeks. He ran his tongue along the length of his tusk, and Hella’s eyes followed the movement.

 

“I uh. Sorry,” said Fero.

 

Hella slid her gaze to him. “Like I said. It’s fine.”

 

She shifted, meaning to help Lem off her, thighs opening enough that Lem’s thigh slipped between her’s, the whisper of friction enough that she had to bite her lip to contain a sound. Lem’s eyes above her went very wide. She wondered if he could feel the heat of her like she could feel him.

 

She swore, she _swore_ , that she felt Lem move, just a little, just the smell motion, testing the waters. This was confirmed by the flicker of a smirk at her gasp. Hella narrowed her eyes, and Lem’s expression shifted back to wide-eyed innocence.

 

Well. Hella Varal was _not_ one to back down from a challenge.

 

Hella made a frustrated sound, gripping the front of his shirt and pulling Lem down to meet her lips. She ground down on his thigh, feeling him moan into her mouth at the friction. She ran her hands down his sides, pulling his hips down against her’s, grinning as she felt him shudder.

 

Fero made a strangled noise. “I’ll, uh--”

 

Hella made a move to reach out but Lem was faster, grabbing Fero’s shoulder and freezing him in place.

 

“Please stay,” said Lem.

 

“I…”

 

“You should,” said Hella, “You started it.”

 

“I what,” said Fero, before he was cut off by Lem’s kiss.

 

Fero immediately melted into Lem’s touch, his hands fluttering across Lem’s body as if they were afraid to settle for too long. Hella ran her hand up and down Fero’s back, feeling him gasp and shudder.

 

“Okay,” said Fero, panting a little as they broke apart, “okay you convinced me.”

 

Lem huffed a laugh. “I think this might be the first time you’ve ever told me I won an argument.”

 

“I didn’t say you _won_ ,” said Fero.

 

“You said I convinced you,” said Lem.

 

“Well that’s not the same thing,” said Fero.

 

“How is it not--”

 

Fero cut Lem off with a kiss, his hands snaking down to palm Lem’s erection. Lem moaned, the sound echoing in the morning stillness.

 

Hella shushed them. “We don’t want to guards to come investigating.”

 

“Yeah Lem,” said Fero, grinning, “You’ve _gotta_ be more quiet.”

 

He palmed Lem again, the heel of his hand grinding down, and Lem moaned again. Hella put her hand over his mouth.

 

“Oh,” said Fero, “Yeah, good idea, you do that.”

 

He wriggled further down the bed, his hands ghosting over her before settling back on Lem, losing the fastening of his pants enough to free Lem’s erection. Lem whimpered, mumbling pleas through her hand.

 

Hella slid her hand back a little, pressing two fingers inside Lem’s mouth. Lem’s eyes widened, then fluttered shut. Fero stilled, watching Lem for a long moment, his mouth slack. Hella raised her eyebrows at him and he flushed, wriggling further down so he was more level with Lem’s crotch.

 

Hella watched as he leant forward, blowing air along Lem’s length and grinning at Lem’s shudder before he slowly took Lem into his mouth. He wrapped a hand around the base, working it in time with his mouth, keeping a slow rhythm.

 

Lem writhed, his moans barely muffled by Hella’s fingers even as she added a third. It felt as though the vibrations of it travelled through her body, building in heat as it became a throb between her legs. She put a hand on Fero’s shoulder.

 

“He needs something more, don’t you think? Otherwise the whole of Nacre will hear him.”

 

“I could stop,” said Fero, casually.

 

“No!” said Lem, “Please, I-- _please_.”

 

Hella hummed. “Maybe there’s something else we can do.”

 

“Gag him?” offered Fero.

 

Lem shivered.

 

“Close,” said Hella, “Lem, lie back.”

 

Fero maneuvered him, his hands lingering as he prompted Lem’s movements, distracting Lem as she wriggled out of her pants. Hella swallowed hard as their gaze landed back on her, taking in the slickness between her thighs.

 

“I-- good idea,” Lem managed.

 

Hella laughed, moving to straddle his face.

 

He immediately licked up into her greedily, making her gasp and clutch at the headboard. She felt when Fero began on him again, Lem motions becoming more erratic, his moans buzzing up into her, his hands clutching at her thighs.

 

She could feel the shape of his pleas against her as he got close. She looked back over her shoulder, grinding down onto Lem’s face as she watched Fero take Lem deeper, his hips stuttering as he arched up toward Fero. She gave him a moment of respite before she tugged sharply on his hair.

 

Lem whimpered, and got back to work. Now that he was more focused, it didn’t take much for her to reach her peak, shaking above him and her ragged nails digging into the wood of the headboard.

 

Hella collapsed next to him, leaning back against the headboard as her breathing returned to normal. She flinched as Fero laid a hand on her thigh.

 

“My turn,” said Fero, and ducked his head

 

“I already--”

 

She broke off with a moan, almost too sensitive to stand the attention Fero was paying to her. He sucked hard at her clit before his tongue would flicker away, barely teasing over her entrance. She reached out, clumsily gripping Lem’s shoulder.

 

Lem pulled himself up, kissing along her side, her shoulder, her neck, the underside of her jaw. He palmed her breasts, his fingers teasing over her nipples the way Fero’s had done by accident earlier. She pulled him towards her, moaning into his mouth as Fero broke her apart.

 

She could feel Fero squirming as she came back to herself, blinking a few times to get her eyes to properly focus on the sight in front of her: Fero in Lem’s lap, his hips arching up into Lem’s hand, fucking himself onto Lem’s fingers.

 

Lem pressed a kiss to the top of Fero’s head, his voice low. “I had no idea he needed this so badly.”

 

“Really,” said Hella, “Let me see.”

 

She leaned forwards, sliding her hand into Fero’s pants beside Lem’s. Fero was _soaking_ , a high whine pulled from his throat as Hella slipped an experimental finger inside of him.

 

Hella hummed. “I see what you mean.”

 

She ducked her head, swallowing Fero’s groan as she circled his clit. She could feel the slick of him on Lem’s fingers as the two of them worked Fero, their rhythm off from one another, never giving Fero a break from it, reducing him to thin whines.

 

Fero clutched weakly at her arm. “I need...I need…”

 

Hella pressed a soft kiss to his lips, oddly chaste for their current position. “I know. We know.” She looked up at Lem. “Add another.”

 

She could feel Fero shudder as his body stretched to accommodate it, shaking as she ground the heel of her palm against him, giving him the direct friction he so desperately needed. She felt the hot rush of him against her hand, soaking the fabric of his pants.

 

They worked him through the aftershocks, petting along his body as he came down. He looked up at them both for a moment, chest heaving.

 

“This is going to make is _way_ easier to pretend to be married to you guys,” said Fero, his voice hoarse.

 

Hella groaned, half-heartedly hitting him on the shoulder. They lay together for a moment, the distant sounds of the waking city drifting up towards them.

 

Soon, they would have to prepare for Adelaide’s arrival and whatever came after. But, for now, she could afford to lie there a little longer, the warmth of Lem and Fero's bodies sinking into her bones.

**Author's Note:**

> come say hi: mariusperkins on most places


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